


An Old Hope

by TheBardITP



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Eventual Grand Admiral Thrawn, Jedi Luke Skywalker, Jedi Training, Padawan Rey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-13 14:41:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13572705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBardITP/pseuds/TheBardITP
Summary: Rey finds that Master Skywalker is both more and less than his legend, having meditated on the errors of his ways. But at least he's willing, very willing in fact, to help both Rey and the Resistance. Not do something badass but futile, like kill himself with a Force Projection.This is a story where Luke Skywalker does what he's meant to do and trains Rey, much like Obi-wan and Yoda trained him. A tale of heroes, war, and adventure, as a grand space opera should be. Possible future romance, though between who I don't know yet. Currently leaning towards Rey/Kylo Ren, because both Ren redeeming himself or Rey falling to the Dark Side make for drama. Hopefully I won't cheapen it.





	1. Prologue

The hyperspace jumps from the Resistance base on D’Qar to the First Jedi Temple on Ahch-to (hopefully, where Luke Skywalker was) were long and relatively boring, especially compared to the assault and destruction of Starkiller Base. And now that the _Millenium Falcon_ wasn’t in danger of exploding or falling apart, it’s upkeep quickly turned monotonous.

R2-D2, at least, was a constant source of entertainment. The diminutive droid was rocking back and forth in excitement -it couldn’t wait to be reunited with the Master Jedi. While Chewbacca mourned Han Solo, Artoo kept projecting videos of Luke.

And it was with Artoo that Rey first started her training. The _Falcon_ wasn’t a huge ship, and didn’t have the space for practicing the fancy flips and jumps that occasionally showed up in the droid’s memory. Nor did Rey want to subject Chewie to the Jedi mind tricks. But Artoo brought Rey a small, spherical droid that flew through the air and bombarded her with lasers. Though Artoo’s recordings showed Luke Skywalker deflecting them while his eyes were covered, Rey wasn't nearly confident enough for that. And she didn't want to puncture the  _Falcon_ 's hull with an errant slice.

Now it was the final seconds of their journey, and Rey joined Chewie in the cockpit of the _Falcon_.

“Ready?” Rey asked, holding onto her quarterstaff roughly. It’s rough surface comforted her -the weapon had been her constant companion for years on Jakku

Chewbacca made a noise halfway between a growl and a roar.

“I know, I know!” replied Rey, “He isn’t too scary. But we need his help! The Resistance is counting on us.”

This reply prompted what was definitely a growl.

Then the _Falcon_ dropped out of hyperspace, the blues and whites replaced by the utter blackness of space -and a large, blue and white planet. Ahch-to. And hopefully Master Skywalker.

“But where’s the land?” questioned the Jakkuman young woman, “Where can we set down?”

Chewie groaned, manipulating the instruments in front of him. Then the _Falcon_ went into a steep dive, right into the watery planet’s atmosphere

“Whoa!” Rey yelled at the jerking change of motion, “Artoo!”

The droid beeped innocently, his arm still connected with the _Falcon_ as he steered it personally. It had been years since it had seen Luke, and he wasn’t going to wait.

The atmospheric entry created the usual bubble of orange flame around the _Falcon_ , it’s speed making it look more like a meteor than a starship. The cockpit of the ship itself warmed noticeably, but that contributed less to Rey’s sweat than the insane speed they were hurtling down at.

The waters of Ahch-to were rushing up to meet them before the _Falcon_ ’s powerful engines hummed, leveling out the ship and pointing straight at a collection of islands that rose from the sea like mountains. Of course, the ship was still hurtling along at a much-too-brisk pace, and Rey was afraid that it would soon meet a rocky end.

“Artoo!” Rey cried, “Slow us down! Now!”

The diminutive droid beeped a protest, but the _Falcon_ reluctantly slowed enough for both of the living pilots to retake the controls, and for Rey to glare at R2-D2 itself.

Chewie growled, pointing at a small collection of buildings on the large island right in front of them. They were small, round, and made of stone, with conical roofs. The island itself was covered in green, except for when the sides of cliffs exposed themselves to the air.

Together, Chewie and Rey guided the _Falcon_ to rest on a lower ridge. There was no point in trying to hide their ship, as their dramatic entrance probably keyed in the whole planet to the Falcon’s arrival Besides, this world wasn’t supposed to be heavily industrialized.

“Chewie, stay here with the _Falcon_.” Rey ordered, “I need to find Skywalker.”

  - - -

The final climb up the island wasn’t easy, but neither was scavenging on Jakku. When Rey crested the hill, though, Artoo was nowhere to be scene. The little droid had raced ahead, using his rocket boosters to fly up the hill that Rey just had to climb. In fact, the entire village seemed empty, but for a single figure wrapped in a brown cloak.

His hair and beard were streaked with gray and white. One of his hands was real, the other of metal. His cloak was parted to reveal a lighter brown tunic underneath, gathered at the waist with a belt.

And his face was wrinkled and time-worn. Blue eyes shone like chips of ice glaring out from between slitted lids. His mouth was neither smiling or frowning, but Rey could feel the weariness and defeatism radiating from him. This was the hero that defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor?

All of a sudden, the seeds of doubt took root in Rey’s mind. Surely this old man was more than he seemed. Right? Her right hand tightened on her metal quarterstaff. She traveled this far. She might as well finish the job.

So Rey strode forward, her nervousness and doubt only shown by her short pause. She pulled out Skywalker’s old lightsaber as she walked, holding it out in front of her.

She felt the man’s eyes on her, like they were piercing into her soul. She couldn’t help but feel that he was disappointed. But the old man hadn’t moved or spoken. He just watched

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, Rey stood right in front of the old Jedi Master. She kept her gaze down, unwilling to meet those hard eyes. She held the lightsaber out to him. She heard the whirring of his mechanical hand as he took it, then finally looked up at his face as she backed away.

Luke Skywalker looked down at his old lightsaber, turning it slightly in his hands, then looked at Rey again. His face held some sort of unknowable emotion. Nostalgia? Regret?

He tossed it over his shoulder.


	2. Chapter 1 - The Light and the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey's training begins. But not with a lightsaber. First, she must learn about the Force, the seeds of wisdom that will grow into her own strength. And she must see the Force -both the Light and the Dark.

Rey’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped. It was his lightsaber! And he just tossed it like it was nothing? Why? They were right at the edge of the island! What if it fell in the ocean?

 

Rey ran forward, dodging around Master Skywalker’s still form, her heart beating faster than an X-wing can fly. She gasped in relief as she saw it clatter on the ground, rolling dangerously close to the edge.

 

Then she heard a throaty chuckle and whirled to see the old man’s bearded face split in a wide smile, exposing pearly-white teeth.

 

“Your face!” he barked, almost doubling over from laughter, “You should have seen it!”

 

Rey blushed hard, deep embarrassment welling up from inside of her as she realised she’d been played -and the old man was still laughing at her! “Master Skywalker!”

 

“What?” he made a quick gesture, pulling the lightsaber back to his hand. With practiced ease, he popped one end off of it, inspecting the internal components, “Disgusting.”

Rey was entirely thrown off. She was expecting a hero, some kind of larger-than-life figure. An old wise man, strong and silent. Ready to wage war. But above all, a serious person. Not . . . this.

 

“Are you . . . Luke Skywalker?”

 

“Yes. Yes I am.” the old man said, “And you are?”

 

“I'm Rey. I’m with the Resistance.” replied Rey, still shaken, “We need you to help us.”

 

“And why did you come here, instead of my sister?” asked Luke, still dusting off the lightsaber.

 

“She needed to keep the Resistance fighting.” Rey explained, "She sent me."

 

“Why did _you_ come, though?” questioned Luke, “Young, from a desert planet. You don’t know your parents. Force sensitive, with an old lightsaber that isn’t her own. Full circle, I suppose.”

 

“I . . . I was hoping you could teach me the ways of the Jedi, Master Skywalker.” Rey stammered, still getting used to the real man in front of her. The stories she heard spoke of a young warrior, strong with both the Force and a lightsaber. He was serious and wise. This bent old man seemed . . . uncaring, almost. Distracted.

 

“Well, I won’t do that.” answered the old man, “The Jedi have failed. They’re dead and gone, now, and I’ve just spent the last few years burying the body. No, Rey. It’s time for the Jedi to end.”

 

“What?” Rey protested, moving towards him, “But I need you to teach me! The Resistance needs you!”

 

“I will teach you. And with any luck, I’ll do it right this time.” the old man stared deep into Rey’s eyes, the ice in his gaze fully gone now, “But what can I do against a the First Order? Chop up a few stormtroopers? Cut a hole in a Star Destroyer? Leia was always the leader. The commander. Not me."

 

“But you’re a Master Jedi!” protested Rey, “You blew up the first Death Star and killed the Emperor and brought down the Empire! You-”

 

He held up a finger to interrupt, the servos in his mechanical hand whirring, “I didn’t kill the Emperor. My father killed the Emperor. And I didn’t bring down the Galactic Empire, either. That was Princess Leia and Admiral Ackbar and Wedge Antilles and the rest of the Rebel Alliance. I helped, but it was their actions that won the day and restored the Republic.”

 

“But now the Republic’s about to be destroyed. General Organa needs you.”

 

“I doubt it.” Luke said simply, “She always has a plan, a fallback strategy. She didn’t become General by relying on me to save her every time she was in a bind. Princess Leia became the person she is entirely on her own merits. Not mine or anyone else’s.”

 

“So you won’t come?” Rey asked, crestfallen. After all that effort, after stealing the final piece of the map, destroying Starkiller Base, almost being killed by Kylo Ren, and flying all the way out here. Nothing.

 

“I didn’t say that.” replied the old man, “You needed to know. I can’t bring miracles. I can wield the Force and a lightsaber. But I am _just one man_. I can help, and I will help, but first I need to train you.”

 

“Right.”

 

“But before that, I need to say hello to an old friend. And goodbye to another.” Luke trudged away, before calling out to her, “Explore the village, but don’t go too far. Don’t get startled -you aren’t alone.”

 

\- - -

 

The brown-furred Wookie happily wrapped Luke in a bear hug (Wookie-hug?) when the old Jedi returned to the _Falcon_ , nearly suffocating the old man in the process. Chewie groaned as Luke tried to step back, pulling the old Jedi in again.

 

“All right, all right.” Luke gave in to the hug, feeling his shoulder become damp with Wookie tears, “It’s okay, Chewie. I miss him too.”

 

This growl was near silent, and carried Chewbacca’s suffering in it’s tone.

 

“Shh. Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh.” Luke rubbed Chewie’s back, “It’s going to be okay, Chewie. You’ve made it this far.”

 

Another growl, still low, but louder.

 

“Leia needs you too, Chewie.” whispered the aging Jedi, “She can’t always be the Iron Lady that everyone else sees her as.”

 

Another groan, quieter again.

 

“I know she reminds you of Han.” said Luke, still hugging Chewie, “But you need her, too. Besides, you’re a hero now. You can’t wander off into the wilderness like I did.”

 

Chewie grumbled and smacked Luke on the back, sending the much smaller Jedi stumbling. From the doorway, Rey watched, having promptly ignored what the aged Jedi said. She didn’t know what to think about the old Jedi Master. Back on the cliff, he was happy. Jovial. Didn’t seem like he was taking her seriously. Now he looked like a bent old man comforting his friend. Neither of which seemed like the hero of legend that Rey had heard of.

 

Behind her, Artoo chittered.

 

Rey whirled, “Where were you? You disappeared on me!”

 

A whirring and a few beeps did little to answer her question.

 

“You set me up!” Rey growled, resisting the urge to kick the droid, “You little . . . droid!”

 

It wasn’t too long before Luke and Chewie separated, but still they commiserated over past experiences and hardships.

 

The afternoon dwindled into the night as they talked, with Rey eventually wandering back to her old bunk and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. She had made it, and accomplished something, but what? And what now?

 

\- - -

 

“Leave your blaster on the _Falcon_.” ordered Master Skywalker after Rey got up, “Along with any other gadgets you have. Bring your clothes, something you can sweat in. Your training starts today.”

 

Rey scrambled, gathering her rather meagre belongings into a small bag, then followed the Jedi out the door. When she did, Master Skywalker was already stomping up the hill. Fog covered the island, harkening a storm soon to occur.

 

“I said the Jedi needed to end, and I meant it!” the old man shouted as they climbed up the hill. The wind was blowing, making it hard to converse, “The Jedi Order failed, and now there needs to be something new! I haven’t come up with a name, yet, but there needs to be a fresh start! New rules! New training! Or old training!”

 

Luke Skywalker led Rey into one of stone houses, sitting her down across from him. The wind howled outside, but the round walls broke the wind, and a warm fire drove off the cold.

 

“Let’s start with the most important thing you’ll learn. And you won’t learn it today, but hopefully, you’ll understand it eventually.” said the teacher, “How did I destroy the first Death Star?”

 

Rey blinked. She was expecting something philosophical, or maybe a data pad, not question about Master Skywalker’s past, “You shot a proton torpedo down the exhaust vent. Right into the core.”

 

“But how did _I_ destroy the Death Star?” he questioned, “Why me?”

 

“Because you’re a Jedi.” Rey replied, “You’re Master Skywalker.”

 

“Right and wrong. I destroyed the Death Star with this,” he tapped his living finger over his heart, “Not this.” His metal finger tapped his temple.

 

“What does that mean?” asked Rey, “How does this have anything to do with fighting with a lightsaber?”

 

The old Jedi’s eyes hardened, “Anyone can swing a sword, my apprentice. But you want to be a Jedi. What made a Jedi was much, much more than his laser sword.”

 

Rey nodded.

 

“I destroyed the Death Star because I trusted in the Force.” he said, “I turned off my targeting computer. I placed my faith in myself, not the machine I was told to use. That’s why I had you leave your technology behind. You, Rey, need to trust in the Force. Not your blaster.”

 

Rey nodded again.

 

“You also need to have faith in yourself. Faith in life.” Master Skywalker continued lecturing, ‘While droids and other machines are infinitely useful -and none closer to me than Artoo- you need to put your trust in yourself and the Force. Only secondly should you trust your weapons.”

 

“Right.”

 

“Good. What do you know about the Force?” asked the teacher.

 

“It’s power. It lets you lift rocks and jump large distances.” Rey recoiled slightly as she remembered how Kylo Ren tried to invade her mind. For a moment, it seemed he was right beside her. In fact, she could almost see him, hear him, “It lets you read someone’s mind.”

 

“A correct view, though overly simplified.” he stated, “The Force is between every living thing. It is the push and the pull. The great balance that keeps the galaxy intact. It is a sea of power that holds everything in its grasp. It is the dawn and the dusk, the noon and midnight. It is the Light, and the Dark. So let’s show you the Light.”

 

Master Skywalker stood, prompting Rey to stand as well, “Now we climb to the top of the mountain. Then we’ll get dinner. Ready?”

 

“Always.” Rey replied.

 

The old man took the lead, tromping up a stone path. The ocean stretched around them, as far as the eye could see, and the village stood behind -and below- them. The path was not easy, but nor was it treacherous. At the top was a cave entrance, black and ominous. But a glimmer of light shown through, and Master Skywalker went straight in.

 

So naturally, Rey had to follow.

 

Inside was a ring of shadow surrounding a single pool of water. It was a small pool, not much more than a puddle, really, but lined in polished stones.

 

“This, my apprentice, is the Light.” her teacher gesture, pointing at the pool, “This is everything the Jedi wanted. The beginning, middle, and end of their ideals. This is all they wanted for the galaxy. They didn’t realize that the Force wanted something different.”

 

Rey stared into the pool, seeing the light reflect all around, “How can the Force want something?”

 

“It simply does. It has its own will, and it will direct us as it chooses. Just as it directed my sister. Just as it directed Kylo Ren.” Skywalker turned, facing an exit to the cave, “Only by blinding ourselves to the Force will we truly lose. And now, it’s time for you to experience the Force for yourself.”

 

He led Rey outside, to a stone pedestal carved out of a rocky outcropping that hung over the raging sea below, “Sit.”

 

Rey sat.

 

“Breath. Slowly. In and out. Close your eyes. Try and empty your mind of thoughts. Let only feelings remain.” directed her teacher, “Feel the wind on your skin, feel the rock you sit on. Hear the waves crashing below. Let the star warm your face as your mind clears itself. Feel your emotions roil through you. Your happiness. Your rage. Your joy. Your hate. Reach out.”

 

Rey had her eyes tightly closed, her hands locked on her legs as they were crossed beneath her. She concentrated on relaxing, her brow furrowing in stress. At her teacher’s last words, she stuck her right hand out in the air.

 

Master Skywalker let out an inaudible sigh. Was he so naive when he started learning?

 

“Reach out. Feel the Force on your hand.” intoned Luke, plucking a reed and brushing Rey’s hand with it.

 

“I feel it!” Rey shrieked in surprise.

 

“You do?” asked Luke, keeping his voice intent as he manipulated the reed to just brush her outstretched hand.

 

“I do!” Rey said excitedly, “I do!”

 

“It must be strong with you!” Luke encouraged, “Reach out, grab it! Take it!”

 

Rey’s arm flailed out blindly, grasping the reed, “I have it!”

 

“Good.” Luke almost broke up in laughter, but managed to keep his voice steady, “Open your eyes.”

 

For just a second, Luke could see the sheer childlike wonder and excitement in Rey’s eyes before she focused on the reed she now gripped, “HEY!”

 

This time, Luke did laugh. A full belly of laughter as Rey, once again, realized that she’d been tricked, “You’re supposed to show me the Force, not a reed!”

 

Luke slapped his knee, bent over in mirth for a time. But eventually, he had to settle into being Master Skywalker again, “The Force isn’t something you can physically touch, my little apprentice. You need to reach out with your mind, your heart. And stop concentrating so hard. Let your muscles relax.”

 

Rey struggled to do so, still coming down from being embarrassed (again), and very annoyed at Luke Skywalker. But eventually, she did relax. She opened herself to the world, and the world opened itself to her.

 

“I . . . I feel it.” Rey said, “I . . . can see it.”

 

“Good. What do you see?” asked her teacher.

 

“The island. Life. Death and decay, that feeds new life. Warmth. Cold. Peace. Violence.”

 

“And between it all?” he asked, his voice sounding weak, like it was shouted through a long cave.

 

“Balance.” Rey answered, feeling this, whatever it was, course through her, “An energy. A Force.”

 

“And inside me?” Master Skywalker pressed forward, his voice sounding so distant, “Inside you?”

 

“Inside us . . . that same Force.” Rey said, “Inside me . . . anger. So much anger.”

 

She saw something, then. A dark and terrible thing. A hole in the island, surrounded by black tendrils that reached out, infecting the stone around it. And inside, a deep and utter darkness. A darkness that called to her, beckoned to her.

 

“Darkness.” Rey continued, “So much darkness.”

 

Rey saw flashes. She saw Kylo Ren, his mask in pieces, destroyed. She saw Snoke’s flagship, rent in two. She saw victory, she saw power. So much power. She just had to reach out, grasp it. But she remembered. The reed. Was this another trick? A test? The darkness seemed to welcoming. No. It was a trap.

 

Rey gasped, opening her eyes to see Master Skywalker’s face not six inches from her own, his own eyes tightly closed and his fingers on her temples. She recoiled, tumbling off the back of the stone pedestal, landing awkwardly on one shoulder as she rolled aside, “What was that?”

 

“That, my apprentice, was the Dark Side.” Master Skywalker said, breathing heavily as he stood, “I had to pull you away. It tugs at you. It tempts you. Just as it did to me.”

 

“How . . . how can you resist it?” Rey asked, “I could feel it. So much power. It could be mine. Or yours. Think about how much good you could do if you had it!”

 

“I want no more power than I have.” he said slowly, “I have no need for more, and I know that I am not the sole vehicle for good in the galaxy. It is my sister who can, and should rule, if someone needs to. I resist it with love, joy. Contentment.”

 

“But-”

 

“You will learn control, eventually.” Master Skywalker strode past her, “You’re full of anger. Don’t give in to it. Don’t let your anger drive you. Don’t let your anger determine your goals. Let only love do that. Now, do you know how to fish with a spear?”

 

Rey’s mind still whirled with all that she had seen, experienced, learned. Surely that power couldn’t be evil itself, could it? It was just a means to an end, and if the end was good, that’s all that mattered. Didn’t it?

 

Rey turned to look at the pool of light, seeing herself reflected in it.

 

\- - -

 

“A fish is never where you see it.” Master Skywalker said, hefting a pole three times longer than he was, that was sharpened to a point, “Light bends as it enters the water. Not something you learn from a desert planet.”

 

The old Jedi continued talking, but Rey was no longer listening. Instead, she felt a tingling in her mind. A crawling, not quite painful but definitely not pleasant. She had felt it before. Now it was back.

 

The hole. The darkness. Rey felt it pulling at her, bringing her somewhere. Everything was gray, metal. Hard. Edged. There was a monster, dressed in black. He looked surprised. Kylo Ren looked surprised.

 

But he reacted faster than she did, reaching out, his hand gloved, as if it could grasp her through the connection, “You will bring Skywalker here.”

 

Rey felt the Force press against her mind, but angrily resisted, “That didn’t work before and it’s not going to work now!”

 

“You aren’t doing this.” Kylo Ren growled, his fingers splayed, “The effort would kill you.”

 

Rey could barely hear his words, “You’re a monster! I’ll kill you! I’LL KILL YOU!”

 

“You’ve found Skywalker.” Kylo Ren deduced, “Is he doing this?”

 

“You’re doing this!” Rey shouted back, “Stop it!”

 

Rey had no weapon near her; no blaster, no lightsaber. Not even a handy rock to throw.

 

“Can you see my surroundings?” asked the Sith apprentice.

 

“You’re going to pay for what you did.” Rey promised, summoning all the hate and rage she could into that one sentence.

 

“I can’t see yours.” continued Kylo Ren, brushing off the words like raindrops. He focused on her face, seeing the anger play out over it, “Just you. And light. Green.”

 

To Rey, Kylo Ren was surrounded by gray metal.

 

“Your turn.” a different voice said, and Rey felt the haft of a stick against her shoulder. She turned to see Master Skywalker, then turned back; nothing but a grass-covered hillock.

 

“This is important, my apprentice.” the old Jedi frowned, “But go ahead and daydream. It’s not like the reformed military of a galaxy-ruling former Empire is threatening everything we know and love or anything. Don’t let yourself be distracted, Rey. Focus!”

 

“It wasn’t like that.” Rey protested his chiding tone, “I-”

 

“I’m sure it was suitably interesting.” interrupted her teacher, “Now, take the spear and reach out with the Force. Feel the fish in the water below you. Let the Force guide your hand.”

 

“But-”

 

“Focus, Rey. Now.”

 

Rey swallowed her complaint and picked up the spear. The water below teemed with fish, and she angrily thrust at one of them. But she felt nothing but the dirt under her spear, and withdrawing it proved that she had missed.

 

Again. Again and again and again. Nothing. She started to feel the heat of frustration, of anger, that welled up inside her as she thrust harder. Faster. But she couldn’t do it. The fish easily avoided the tip of her spear, no matter how hard she tried.

 

On her sixth try, Master Skywalker grabbed her spear, stopping her.

 

“Reach out with the Force.” he said simply, “Your eyes are lying to you. Close them if it helps.”

 

Rey nodded, but kept her eyes opened as she tried again. No fish. Nothing. No matter how hard she tried, she impaled nothing.

 

Watching her idly, Luke sighed again. She was filled with too much aggression, too much anger, and it was hindering her progress. It reminded him of himself trying to lift the X-wing out of the swamp on Dagobah. Desperate and confused, then, reckless. Frustrated. And he couldn’t truly reach the force through the haze of emotion.

 

“Take a break, Rey.” Master Skywalker intervened, “Slow your breathing.”

 

Rey gave one last vindictive stab into the water, again having no results, before stepping back and sitting down.

 

“You’re giving into your anger.” said the aged man, “It’s clouding your connection to the Force.”

 

“But I’m not getting _anywhere_!” protested Rey, “I’ve spent two days here and there’s nothing to show for it!”

 

“You’re not the one who ran around a swamp carrying a wrinkled green toad on your back.” the old Jedi riposted, “Before you can control a lightsaber, you need to control yourself. You’re out of balance, and what exactly is the Force?”

 

Rey searched for the answer, and found it, “The balance between all things.”

 

“And within.” Master Skywalker completed, “When I was younger, I was a lot like you. Unlike you as well, but I too was full of anger. Uncle Ben was killed in front of me, and I wanted nothing more than to bury my lightsaber in the one who did it -Darth Vader.”

 

“But you didn’t. You saw there was a conflict.” Rey said, “You knew he had good in him.”

 

Luke waved a hand, “That was later. At the time, I had just fled from Hoth, after -again- Darth Vader rampaged through Echo Base, killing the Rebels I had fought beside for three years. While Han, Leia, and Chewbacca were being chased by the Empire, I went to Dagobah to train. Sound familiar?”

 

Rey nodded. It was easy to draw the parallels between Luke’s life and her own.

 

“I know you want to return to your General Organa.” Luke said, “But you can’t. We can’t. Not yet. The Jedi can’t be the sole source of hope in the galaxy. The Resistance has to have their own hope. Only when they find it can we return.”

 

“Regardless, you will need to find your own balance.” Luke continued his monologue, “It took me quite a bit. I had to confront my own darkness, eventually. Master Yoda sent me into a cave that was strong in the Dark Side. Inside I found Darth Vader, and in my anger, I attacked. The strength of my hate guided my arm, and my rage shielded me from fear.”

 

“What happened?” Rey asked.

 

“I killed him. I cut off his head and helmet, causing it to roll away. But what I saw inside that helmet was my own face.” Luke looked down, to the grass below them, “If I gave into my anger, I would only end up killing myself.”

 

\- - -

 

Rey had taken up the spear again, but after the story, her mind was going in too many different directions. Anger and fear had given Rey strength, enough strength to beat Kylo Ren once before. But Master Skywalker said she couldn’t give into it.

 

If his words were true, it would kill her. But how? And if it would kill her, why wouldn’t it have killed her already?

 

Struggling with those questions made sleep elude her for a few hours, before she came to a decision. The hole. The Dark Side. Rey had to see it. Experience it. See if it was truly the horrible thing it was made out to be, or if it was just a bogeyman Skywalker used to keep her away from true power. The kind of power that could destroy Kylo Ren and the First Order.

 

So Rey swung her legs off her uncomfortable stone bed and swung her coat on. Skywalker still held her lightsaber, and he was in another stone hut entirely. Besides, he said to put her faith in the Force and herself, not the lightsaber. And the Force was pulling her to the Dark Side.

 

The heavy metal door opened with a long squeal and closed with a bang. Rey paused, but Skywalker didn’t come out of his hut. So she kept her gaze locked on the door as she edged her way away, almost tripping over the island natives as she went. The Force, it seemed, was with her.

 

Rey remembered the way to the well of the Dark Side with crystal clarity. The path there soon turned from paved stone to grass, then to solid stone, and the shadows grew deeper and darker around her. The air cooled drastically, and she heard the pounding of the waves against stone as she approached. The hole was in sight now, and seeing it in person was chilling. Almost frightening.

 

But it beckoned to her nonetheless, and she stepped towards it. She knelt, feeling the dark tendrils that reached out from it. They weren’t slimy, or even squishy. They didn’t feel like mold, or slime. They felt more like roots, from a powerful tree. They throbbed with power. And Rey wanted that power.

 

She drew to the edge of the whole, looking down at the impenetrable umbra.

 

“Didn’t take you long.” a voice said behind her. It didn’t sound happy. But it didn’t sound angry, either. Judgemental and cold, as if deciding her fate.

 

Chills ran up Rey’s spine as she whirled in place. She nearly slipped on the wet roots, but kept her footing as she saw Master Skywalker’s cloak. She looked at his face, dreading the expression of rage or anger or disdain or at the very least disappointment that she knew would be there. Instead, it was smooth and still, like a face hewn from rock. His eyes held neither joy nor rage, but they were full of ice regardless.

 

“I, ah, this wasn’t,” Rey stumbled over her words, “I wasn’t going to-”

 

“Yes you were.” Master Skywalker said, his voice with an edge that silenced her own, “You snuck out in the middle of the night, crept down here, and were  about to jump in.”

 

“I was just trying-”

 

“You were being seduced by the Dark Side.” the old Jedi ground out, “You wanted power but didn’t want to wait for it. You didn’t want to learn. You wanted to have it at your fingertips.”

 

“I-”

 

“Yes or no, Rey?” he asked, his voice still having that steely chill, “You were going here for power. Yes or no.”

“But-”

 

“Yes or no!”

 

“I-”

 

“Yes or no, Rey!” the aged man bellowed, his sheer presence wanting to make Rey shrink back, “Tell me! Now!”

 

“Yes!” Rey yelled, feeling a horrible guilt take her for what she did, “I wanted power! I know I shouldn’t be down here and I’m a terrible person and-”

 

“No.” Luke answered, “You aren’t a terrible person. You’re learning.”

 

“But I went down here and nearly-”

 

“You did.” he nodded, “But that’s why I’m here. You will make mistakes. You will make poor choices. I need to make sure you learn from them.”

 

He stepped forward, careful not to slip, and pulled Rey slightly away, into a deep hug, “You’re learning. You feel your anger and you want to give in. You want to kill the man who tortured you. It’s natural.”

 

“He’s a monster.” Rey mumbled into his shoulder.

 

“So was Darth Vader.” Luke said calmingly, “We each have our enemies. The focus of our hate. But hate isn’t a good thing to focus on. Focus on your friends. Let them be your reason for being here. And tomorrow, we’ll go down there.”

 

“Go down there?” Rey asked, “Are you serious? It’s the Dark Side!”

 

“So it is.” Luke pulled away, putting her at an arm’s length, “But I can’t stop you from going here forever. Maybe, after this, you’d be away for a day. Perhaps two. But we humans are curious. Better to scratch that itch while I can still guide you than wander down here alone.”

 

Rey shook her head, “You aren’t . . . angry?”

 

“I try never to be angry when I don’t need to.” Luke smiled, “It’s not a nice feeling. A strong feeling, to be sure. An empowering feeling. But not a nice one. Now, let’s get back to the village.”

 

Taking her by the hand. Luke led his apprentice back to the stone village, drawing her back to the hut, “Tomorrow.”

 

Rey nodded, opening the door as she winced at the squealing sound it made, “Tomorrow.”

 

Sleep still didn’t come easily. But it did, and Rey was able to grab a few scant hours before sunlight streamed through the holes in the stone walls, and the island natives started tromping by.

 

She left the hut to find Master Skywalker gutting a fish and laying it’s meat out to dry.

 

“Eat and drink. Then we’ll leave.” he said, gesturing to some fish jerky and a stone mug of some green liquid.

 

“Green milk?” Rey asked, staring at it.

 

“I used to love blue milk when I was younger.” Master Skywalker said absently, “It’s a little different. But better than salt water.”

 

With a little trepidation, Rey ate the fish and drank the milk. It was good. Not sweet, but then, Rey had few sweet things on Jakku. It was thick, creamy, and filling. As she finished, her master stood.

 

“Ready?”

 

“Yes.” Rey stood as well, stretching slightly before following Master Skywalker as he walked off.

 

In the daylight, the path was much different. It was warmer, and her footsteps were stronger. More confident. Surer.

 

The cave, though, was no warmer. The roots looked a little brighter, as the sun shone down on the dark hole. But the darkness was still impenetrable and intimidating. Master Skywalker walked right up to the whole and stood there, staring down at it.

 

“Jump when you’re ready, my apprentice.” he said, “But don’t forget in darkness what you learned in the light.”

 

Rey nodded, once, feeling jittery and unready. In the daylight, it didn’t seem nearly as welcoming. Nearly as seductive.

 

Luke waited.

 

Rey jumped. Half-jumped, half-slipped, and plummeted downward.

 

It wasn’t a far drop, where she landed. She landed on her feet. She was standing on stone. A stone tunnel. But there were mirrors on either side of her. She saw herself, a thousand times. When she moved, it rippled across all of them. No. That wasn’t right. That can’t happen. It was too slow.

 

And before she moved, she saw the reflections in front of her start moving. She moved to match. Then the reflections behind her did the same.

 

Was she even the real Rey? Or was it the reflection at the very beginning?

 

She couldn’t move to contradict the reflections before her, the ones that move. What they did, she did. What she did, the ones behind her did. Were they all being manipulated? What was causing this?

 

But she wasn’t alone. Figures. Two of them. Dark outlines of shadow on glass. But they were coming closer. Becoming larger. It wasn’t Luke. It wasn’t Kylo Ren. It wasn’t anyone she knew, but they seemed familiar. They were closer. They loomed. She couldn’t make out their faces.

 

Who were they? She couldn’t see. Her parents? Could the Dark Side . . . did it know who they were? Could it help her?

 

Rey reached forward, trying to grab those figures, pull them closer, but her fingers only met smooth glass.

 

“ _Don’t forget in the darkness what you learned in the light._ ”

 

The voice echoed in the darkness, reflecting off the mirrors like Rey’s image.

 

The reflections before Rey started speaking, but no noise came before Rey herself opened her mouth, “But what did I learn?”

 

Rey looked back and forth. This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t be true. This isn’t how light worked.

 

Again, those reflections spoke.

 

“My eyes are lying to me.” Rey said in realization. Her eyes closed.

 

Now she was in darkness. Now she could see nothing at all. There was no light here.

 

And all around her, Rey could only feel darkness. Dark emotion. Her parents. Not her parents, her need to find them. The scars left by being abandoned so long ago. Her anger at Kylo Ren for torturing her. Her anger at Luke Skywalker for not teaching her how to wield a lightsaber, for not going to the Resistance.

 

Her anger at herself, for going here in the first place.

 

“ _Don’t forget in the darkness what you learned in the light_.”

 

This was the Dark Side. It surrounded her in anger and tempted her with everything she ever wanted. The stick . . . and the carrot.

 

But she had seen what it did to those who chased it. It made Kylo Ren. And no power was worth becoming a monster.

 

It was above her now. A small circle of light. The exit. But it was so far away. She was so deep in the darkness. Could she ever escape?

 

“Trust in the Force.” Rey whispered, “And trust in yourself.”

 

Rey crouched. She reached up. And jumped.

 

It rushed down towards her. She flew up towards it. It grew larger, brighter. The light became blinding. Became burning. She couldn’t see. She could only feel cold. But her hand grasped the ledge, the roots. And another hand grabbed her own.

 

“Up and out.” Luke Skywalker grunted as he pulled, hefting her out the rest of the way.

 

She collapsed to her hands and knees, facing the morning sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And that was the first real chapter. Notice that I'm not including Poe/Finn/Rose/Hackerman yet. When Rey returns, they'll be included again. Because you've already seen what happens. Casino world, destruction of the other two cruisers (including Vice Admiral Holdo's old ship), etc. Don't worry, though. The training won't last for too much longer. Then we'll get into the real combat, and some Rey on Ren action. Nothing sexual, mind you. Dirty-minded little kids (says the guy who's writing fanfiction).
> 
> Also, though Thrawn Trilogy is no longer canonical, Thrawn is in canon now (thank you, Star Wars: Rebels).
> 
> Please review. Tell me what you like and what you would change.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This far, of course, this story follows the movie (more or less). I like to think that Rey is driven enough to start training with the lightsaber before meeting Luke, on her own initiative or just out of boredom. I also like to think that Chewie needs more time to mourn than just one howl in the middle of Starkiller Base.
> 
> I know this is short, but the actual chapters will be much longer (~6000 words/chapter). Hoping to update every other weekend.
> 
> Please review. I always like to improve myself, and if I can make the story more enjoyable, it's a win-win.


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